Touching Silver (25 page)

He clearly didn’t see it glowing. Any other time, she might have wondered if she was seeing things, but now nothing about the coin fazed her. She pulled her gloves off and sat back on the bed, propping herself against the pillows.

“You won’t let me fall off the bed this time?” she asked before reaching for the coin.

“Never.” Isaac slipped his hand up her leg. “Maybe I should hold you for this.”

Olivia nodded, the closest she would come to admitting her fear. She moved over, making room for him to sit beside her and fold his arms around her. She fit against his body easily, and couldn’t resist burying her face in his neck for a moment. “I am never going to touch that damned thing again when we’re done.”

His mouth brushed across the top of her head. “Think Nathan would let us melt it down? I’ll even bring the marshmallows.”

Olivia lifted her head. “Nathan might not like it, but Remy would probably be the first in line with one of those marshmallows.”

Before Isaac responded and she lost her nerve, Olivia reached for the coin, her fingers closing tightly, almost painfully, around it. At first, nothing happened. Isaac tensed against her, and she felt his curious eyes on her, rather than the coin. Had she been mistaken about the glowing? Was she wrong to think this would work a third time? She didn’t have the first idea about how all this worked. The chances were good they were all completely wrong.

She almost said as much when that cloying green smell overwhelmed her again. It crawled through her nostrils, stung her eyes and settled in the back of her throat, like it was a living thing intent on cutting off her air. It filled her mouth, like a musky rag.

Not a rag. A gag. I open my mouth to push it out, but it doesn’t fall. A band holds the gag in place, others around my wrists and ankles, holds me in place.

Laughter. Not mine. Pure delight.

Relief.

I stumble out of the car, unable to catch myself, and fall flat to the ground.

Remain there, on my knees, but the girl who exited with me stands and walks away. Watch the girl, limping, stumbling, falling only to be caught again. White numbers shine, lit somehow. Four. Nine. Eight.

Three forms join the girl. I shout, but nobody responds. So I crawl, unable to stand, my fingers brushing against the ankle.

The green. Green falling on my head. Green covering my clothes. Green dripping in my hair, and nose, into my eyes. Green tendrils tying me to the ground.

I shout around the gag.

Olivia dry-heaved and slumped forward, her stomach recoiling in horror against the smell. She choked out Isaac’s name.

His strong hands stroked up and down her back, trying to calm the seizing muscles. When that didn’t give him the immediate response he was obviously hoping for, Isaac scooped her into his arms, pulling her onto his lap to nestle her as close to him as physically possible.

“No more. Everything’ll be okay, but no more. I can’t stand seeing you like this. Just breathe, Olivia. You’re here. You’re safe. No more of that damn coin. I’m not losing the woman I love over something as stupid as that.”

The back of her eyes pricked, and her lungs burned as she took a deep breath. She had to still be hearing things. “You’re going to say that again when I’m thinking straight.”

His hands gentled along her body. “I can say it again now. Or whenever. I can even buy one of those annoying picture frames and record it so you can hear it whenever you want.” She felt his smile more than saw it. “It’ll give me a good reason to insist on those naked pictures you won’t pose for.”

“Well, if I get a talking frame out of the deal, I’ll get you that picture by tomorrow.” She lifted her head to kiss his jaw, simply seeking out the closest patch of his warm skin. “Tell me one more time.”

His hand cupped her face, forcing her to meet his eyes. What she saw there took her breath away.

“I love you, Olivia. And regardless of what I said last night, everything changed for me the second you walked into my life.”

Olivia glanced away. “You’re going to make me cry. And then you’re going to think there’s something wrong with me, and then we’re going to waste time fighting about whether or not I’m healthy enough to go after Gabriel.”

He shook his head. “If you tell me you’re up to going, I’m going to trust you not to lie to me about that. I know this bust is too important to you to not let you have it now.”

Let you
. If Olivia had felt a little less raw and defenseless, she might have challenged him on that. But it would be important to pick her battles with Isaac. She cupped the back of his head and drew him into a soft kiss. She felt more grounded the moment their mouths touched. When she pulled away, the fog had cleared from her mind.

“I saw an address. And Stacy is still alive. But I don’t know how much time we’ve got.”

“Then that means we continue the initiations into our mutual admiration club after we’re done.” He let her go, sliding off the bed and then watching as she wobbled to her feet. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay?”

They had an address, they knew Stacy was still alive, and Isaac loved her. Everything would be okay soon enough.

Gabriel stalked through the room, sticking close to the edges, out of Marisol’s way. The purification ritual would move faster with the two of them working, but Marisol wouldn’t let him touch the girls. He never minded the restriction before—and he wasn’t sure if it had anything to do with the ritual itself, or just Marisol’s jealousy—but now it seemed ridiculous.

Gabriel inhaled deeply, the rich, earthly smell of the oils surrounding him. It reminded him of the jungle, of home. It wouldn’t be long until they were all at the Silver Maiden’s temple again. The thought made him shiver, and his groin tightened. Maybe Marisol was right to be jealous, but it wasn’t the young priestesses she should be worried about.

Marisol stepped away from the stone circle, standing proudly at its edge. “Look at her,” Gabriel came to her side and looked down on Stacy, the final piece, the girl who had caused him so much trouble. In that moment, the rather plain girl was transformed into something beautiful…something divine. Her long hair hung down her back, damp with thick oil, and her skin glistened with lotion. Marisol had dressed her in a long, thin robe. The robe wasn’t necessary, but his cousin had a flair for the dramatic.

The fear in her eyes only heightened her fragile beauty.

“She’s perfect,” Gabriel said.

Marisol wrapped her arms around his neck. “The moon won’t be right for another thirty minutes. Why don’t we take care of my purification?”

“Do you want to leave me tonight, then?”

“I need to be with the girls.”

He frowned. “I’m going to miss you.”

“You knew this was going to happen sooner or later.” She pulled him closer. “Leave Parker here to watch the girl and you can give me a proper goodbye.”

Gabriel looked over Marisol’s shoulder to Parker. “I don’t want her to even move an inch. Do you understand me?”

Parker’s teeth flashed. “Perfectly, sir.”

Nathan didn’t take his eyes, or his hands, away from Remy on the drive out of Los Angeles to the Inland Empire. He told himself he was just trying to calm her down, because he hadn’t seen her this high-strung in a long time. Her lean muscles were tense, her fists clenched, and her eyes darted around like she didn’t want to miss a single detail. She had taken the time before they left to change into close-fitting leather pants and matching jacket, and he couldn’t see her weapons, but he knew she had two knives—one in her boot, one in her belt—and also wore a shoulder holster he had found for her.

Nathan was nervous too. But not in the same way. Remy was worried and thoughtful. He was excited, his nerves born of anticipation. He had meant every word he said to Isaac. There was a very real chance one or more or all of them would not walk away from this confrontation. But man, he loved a good fight.

Isaac kept glancing at them in the rearview mirror, exasperation clear in his eyes. Nathan ignored him. If he and Olivia were sitting in the backseat, they’d probably paw at each other too. Remy had told him she really liked Olivia. Nathan hadn’t said anything at the time, but her admission surprised him. Olivia was a cop. The enemy in Remy’s eyes. It wasn’t logical, but that was how Remy lived her life. Everything wasn’t going to turn around after a mere six months. But apparently, Olivia had done or said something to make it clear she could be trusted.

Isaac parked a quarter of a mile away from Gabriel’s house in the hills above San Dimas. Nathan leaned over before they got out of the car, his lips close to Remy’s ear. Her hair tickled his nose, and he couldn’t help but note how good the leather smelled against her skin.

“Are you ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.”

Her head turned swiftly, her full mouth capturing his in a long, lingering kiss. It was as natural as breathing for them, as necessary, but somehow she still managed to take him by surprise each and every time.

Isaac slammed the driver’s door hard, startling them out of the kiss. “Love you,” Nathan said before they left the car.

They hurried up the hill to the house, walking two abreast, Olivia and Isaac in the lead. Nathan watched her, noting the way she refused to take Isaac’s hand, refused to acknowledge the way her muscles trembled. Nathan didn’t think she was afraid, but the vision that led them to the house had taken a lot out of her. He was surprised Isaac hadn’t insisted she stay home, but neither of them had said a word about it.

Olivia did stop short once they reached the mansion’s long driveway. Isaac put his hand in the small of her back, gently encouraging her to move again. The excitement settled in Nathan’s gut. His skin felt too tight. He took Remy’s hand, and they silently ducked off the driveway to the hedges leading to the house.

Gabriel liked having guards. Though dangerous on his own, he wasn’t a stupid man. He knew how many enemies he had, how many were interested in seeing him go down. So he protected himself accordingly. When they realized which house he was using, Isaac gathered their most recent information on who resided there.

Ironically enough, it turned out to be the very same house at which some unsuspecting cop had photographed Marisol de los Rios a few years earlier.

The property was heavily watched in front, but the rear overlooking the valley was mostly clear. Surveillance cameras swept the drive, meaning they had to skulk along the hedges, stopping when Isaac gave them the signal to avoid being detected. He led them slowly but surely to a service door on the ground floor, the trash cans nearby clear indicating it was a kitchen.

Remy’s hand tightened in his as Isaac jimmied the lock. It felt like it took forever and a day for the door to finally swing clear.

They slipped into the dark kitchen one by one, and Isaac gently closed the door behind them. It only took moments for Nathan’s eyes to adjust to the dark. Nobody had their weapons pulled yet, but both Isaac and Olivia had their holsters unsnapped. Light snuck in from beneath the kitchen door, and Isaac gestured for them to follow. Nathan genuinely missed working on the force in moments like these, when he could practically read his partner’s mind and they both knew things were about to come to a head.

Isaac made sure the hallway was clear before leading them out of the kitchen, with Nathan bringing up the rear. He kept his eyes peeled for any guards or signs of life, but the long corridor was empty.

But then they all heard it. Gabriel’s voice. Chanting. Behind a closed door.

Here we go
, Nathan thought, seconds before Isaac kicked the door in.

The room had been stripped of furniture, the carpets pulled out to expose a finely polished hardwood floor. A scent assailed his nostrils, and in that moment, Nathan wasn’t in Los Angeles. He was rushing into a decrepit temple in Argentina, chasing after Remy and a past he wished would stay buried. The space smelled like it had been steeped in the aroma, lush and ripe. Along the far wall, Gabriel knelt with his head bowed, facing the center of the room.

The tableau there made Nathan’s blood run cold.

A stone circle. Something gritty coating the circle’s interior. At its middle, Stacy, with eyes wide and her bare skin glowing.

“You son of a bitch!”

It took a fraction of a second too long for him to realize the furious cry came from Remy. It took another fraction for him to see she was racing for Stacy.

Nathan actually touched her. His fingertips brushed against smooth leather. He closed his hand, trying to grasp her jacket, but he had jumped for her just one second too late.

“Remy!”

Her name was still echoing on the stripped walls when she disappeared in a flash of blue light. Nathan tripped over his own foot, landing hard on the floor just inches from the stone circle. He reached for her again, but there was nothing but air.

Nothing in the room but air.

She’s gone. She’s gone. She’s gone. Oh my God
.

Distantly, he heard sobbing and shouting. But he didn’t look away from the space she once occupied, the blue light splintering and refracting behind his eyes.

In spite of everything he knew and everything he’d been told, Isaac wasn’t sure he actually expected to see what looked to be Gabriel doing some weird ritual to Stacy. He
knew
he didn’t expect to see Parker standing guard off to one side.

And he definitely never expected Remy to leap forward before any of them had fully registered the situation, or to push Stacy out of the circle.

Or to disappear in a blinding flash of blue, thunderous light.

Olivia went straight for Stacy, but Gabriel was closer, grabbing the girl to his chest as he half-dragged her across the floor toward a door opposite the one they’d used to enter. Everything slowed and Isaac quickly ticked through the options. He should be the one going after Gabriel. He should be the one making the arrest. But he could not—would not—leave Nathan alone with Parker.

Gabriel could kill her.

Then Olivia’s voice, furious and tight,
You don’t respect me
and
Why can’t you trust that I’m good at my job?

“Go!” Isaac barked when she shot him a single glance. Nathan simply stood in the spot where he’d watched Remy disappear. He didn’t even seem cognizant of Parker pulling his gun. “I’ve got it here!”

Olivia took off after Gabriel without further prompting, sprinting across the room to follow him out the door. Another woman immediately followed her—it could only be Marisol.

“Freeze,” Isaac shouted. “Or I’ll shoot.”

Marisol ignored him.

“You can take your shot at her, but it’ll be the last thing you do, Detective.”

Hearing that voice after six years was more real than seeing him standing in the same room. Isaac had lived with the sight of the man in his dreams for so long that Parker’s face was branded indelibly on his mind. The pale blond hair. The pale eyes. Tanned skin as if to make up for being so fair in every other way.

But that voice. The smug baritone with just a hint of a Texas drawl. Isaac had blocked that out. Or forgotten it. Either way, the sound of it now made him see enough shades of red to bloody a battlefield.

“Interesting company you’re keeping these days,” Isaac said as he slowly turned around to face Parker. Nathan still hadn’t moved. His gaze was fixed on the spot where Remy had disappeared.
Not again. God, don’t make him go through this again
. “Get tired of the stripes and stripes crowd?”

“They offered me a deal and I took it. Why don’t you put your gun down, or I’ll shoot Pierce. Finish the job my girl couldn’t.”

The heavy scent in the room made Isaac’s eyes water. He’d bet anything this was what Olivia had been experiencing. No wonder she’d gotten sick. It didn’t wash away the fact that Nathan was still playing statues, and Parker had turned his gun so that the muzzle was aimed at Nathan’s head.

“You always did have lousy taste in colleagues,” Isaac said. But he knew he didn’t have a choice. He wasn’t going to risk Nathan getting hurt again. Slowly, he relaxed his hand on the grip, letting it dangle from his fingers, and bent to set it on the floor.

“I’m on the winning team this time around. Your girlfriend is probably already dead. Kudos, by the way. She was
smoking
hot. When I saw the way she rode you, it made me miss Susanna, I’ll admit it.” He said the last with a smirk, and Isaac could see the light dancing in his eyes. He was enjoying every minute of this.

The thought that Parker had done more than just torment Isaac made him want to tear the man’s head from his brain stem and feed it to Tiberius. He’d watched him and Olivia together. Probably the same night he’d trashed Isaac’s car. Was Olivia’s house bugged? Or did he just peeping tom his way into that information?

“Miss a woman who’d spread her legs for anything with a pulse? Nah, I don’t get it.”
Sorry, Nathan.

“You would if you ever fucked her. And I know you wanted to. She used to tell me…everything.” Parker leveled the gun at Isaac’s head. “I had a lot of time to think about this, and I’ve decided if I had a do-over, I’d still shoot you first. Because I like you, McGuire, and I never liked Pierce. Bye.”

A shot blasted through the room, the sound of it filling Isaac’s head. His skull and teeth vibrated, and he waited for the sharp pain that never came. Parker’s eyes widened, almost comically, and a bright red flower bloomed on his chest. A second shot followed. Then a third. And a fourth.

Isaac spun around to face Nathan, whose finger was still pressed against the trigger. His eyes were hard, his lips thin, and he emptied his clip into Parker’s body.

“Waiting until the last second is only ever a good idea in the movies.” Then, when he realized Nathan was still standing there unmoving, he added, more carefully, “Are you okay?”

Nathan shook his head, looking like he’d swallowed his tongue. His hand fell uselessly to his side, as if the weight was just too much for him to bear. “I had a lot of time to think about it too,” he said hoarsely. “You need to go find Olivia.”

Isaac glanced at the exit Olivia had used. Nathan was right. And as worried about him as he was, Gabriel was still on the loose.

“What are you going to do?” he asked as he edged for the door.

Nathan’s shoulders slumped, and he looked back to the empty circle. “I don’t know.”

Isaac winced. The answer was the slightest of sounds, barely words at all. Nathan sounded like somebody had slit his throat again.